Top of camera controls

As you can see all of the top of camera controls are
concentrated on the right side, the single recessed record mode dial and
multi-controller (4 cursor directions and SET button combined) are in
reach of your thumb, the zoom controller and shutter release located for
your forefinger.

Because of the combined sliding lens cover / power switch
the S50 doesn't need a dedicated power dial, instead the lens cover is
used to power the camera on and off to record mode and the sliding PLAY
lever on the back of the camera is used to enter play mode. This new play
mode is 'shooting priority', that essentially means that (assuming the
lens cover is open) a half-press of the shutter release at any point in
play mode returns to shooting mode.

Zoom Controller (Record mode)

Zoom telephoto
Zooms the camera's lens towards the telephoto focal length, maximum
optical zoom of 105 mm (35 mm equiv.). A full zoom from wide to tele
takes 2.0 seconds. If the camera is already at maximum optical zoom
and digital zoom is enabled the camera will apply increasing levels
of digital zoom.

Zoom Controller (Play mode)

Image magnify (zoom
in)
Magnifies the displayed image, a range of magnification is available
from 2x up to 10x. Magnifying the displayed image is very fast.

Image magnify (zoom
out)
If the displayed image is magnified pressing the zoom lever towards
wide zooms out of the magnification.

Exposure Modes

Automatic Exposure
Camera has complete control over exposure, point-and-shoot operation,
the majority of manual features are disabled, you can't alter exposure
compensation, ISO or use RAW mode. You can set flash mode, macro and
image size.

P

Program Auto Exposure
Very similar to AUTO exposure but you have access to all the normal
manual controls, can set the ISO, exposure compensation, use bracketing
etc. The S50 also features program shift, this is activated by half-pressing
the shutter release and then pressing the meter button (AE lock),
you can then select from various equivalent exposures by pressing
left and right buttons on the multi-controller.
Example (metered 1/50 sec, F4.0):
 1/30 sec, F4.5 (left button twice)
 1/40 sec, F4.0 (left button once)
 1/50 sec, F4.0 (metered)
 1/60 sec, F3.5 (right button once)
 1/80 sec, F3.2 (right button twice)

Aperture Priority Auto Exposure
In this mode you select the aperture and the camera will attempt
to select the best shutter speed for a proper exposure. Aperture
is displayed on the LCD, press the left / right arrows to select
different apertures. A half-press of the shutter release causes
the cameras exposure system to calculate the shutter speed, the
LCD view changes to reflect the look of the final image. If the
exposure is outside the cameras exposure range the shutter speed
will appear in RED.
Available apertures: * Note: Aperture / shutter
speed rule, belowWide: F2.8, F3.2, F3.5, F4.0, F4.5, F5.0, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1,
F8.0
Telephoto: F4.9, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8.0

M

Full Manual Exposure
In this mode you select the aperture and the shutter speed from
any combination of the above. Left and right arrows select shutter
speed, up and down arrows select aperture. When you half-press the
shutter release the camera meters the scene and displays a numeric
indication of how far over or underexposed the image is (compared
to its metering). This value is in EV's (exposure value / stops),
if the exposure is under or overexposed by more than 2 EV's the
camera simply displays -2 or +2 in red. During the half-press the
LCD view changes to reflect the approximate look of the final image.

C

Custom Settings
You can save settings from any of the four 'creative' exposure modes
(P, Tv, Av or M) from the record menu. Once saved those settings
can be quickly recalled by turning the mode dial to the 'C' position.
Saving settings from an exposure mode also saves zoom position and
manual focus location (if MF mode is used) as well as all other
settings such as white balance, exposure compensation etc.

* Aperture / Shutter speed rule

Just like other PowerShot's (and many other digital cameras)
the S50 is limited by the fact that it uses a single iris mechanism for
both aperture and shutter. The iris opens at the beginning of the exposure
to a certain size for the selected (or metered) aperture and then closes
again at the end of the exposure. The speed at which the iris can go from
a wide aperture to completely closed creates a limitation as to the maximum
shutter speed available at different apertures.

Zoom position

Aperture

Max. Shutter Speed

Wide angle

F2.8 - F3.5

up to 1/1000 sec

F4.0 - F8.0

up to 1/1500 sec

Telephoto

F4.9 - F6.3

up to 1/1000 sec

F7.1 - F8.0

up to 1/1500 sec

Scene Exposure Modes

The exposure modes described below are designed to be
easy to use camera presets. Macro focus, image adjustments (ISO, contrast,
sharpening, saturation), AEB, AE Lock, FE Lock, metering and RAW file
format can not be selected in these modes.

PortraitIn this mode apertures are kept as large as possible (small F
number) to produce a blurred background to help define the subject
in a portrait shot. Note: Macro focus IS available in Portrait mode.

LandscapeIn this mode the flash is by default disabled (although you can
enable it) and focus is locked at infinity. Apertures are kept as
small as possible (large F numbers) to produce the largest possible
depth of field. Macro focus is also disabled. Designed to be used
for taking landscape shots.

Night SceneKnown on other cameras as "Slow Sync Flash". Put simply
in this mode slow shutter speeds are used to capture a dimly lit background
(buildings at night for example) and the flash fires briefly to illuminate
a foreground subject.

Fast ShutterInstructs the camera to uses the fastest possible shutter speed
for a particular exposure, this often means the largest aperture (F2.8
at Wide, F4.9 at Tele) in combination with ISO 100. Useful for capturing
sports events.

Slow ShutterInstructs the camera to uses the slowest possible shutter speed
for a particular exposure, this often means the smallest aperture
F8.0. Useful for blurring moving water.

Other Exposure Modes

Stitch AssistDesigned to make shooting of panorama / stitch shots easier. You
have a choice of five different stitch modes: left-right, right-left,
down-up, up-down or 4-frames in a square. The display changes to show
previously shot frames in the sequence to help alignment of each frame.
Exposure and White Balance are locked to the first frame.